Hinged last.



Y UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

V NATHANIEL \V. ARNOLD, OF ABINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO ARNOLD BROTHERS & 00., OF SAME PLACE. I

HINGED LAST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of 'Iletters Patent NO. 629,184, dated July 18, 1899. Application filed May 23, 1898. v Serial No. 681,402. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NATHANIEL W. ARNOLD, of North Abin'gton, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hinged Lasts, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to transversely-divided lasts comprising a fore-part section and a heel-section connected by a'hinge and sepxo arated above the hinge by an opening, the arrangement being such that the heel-section can swing into and out of a shoe without subjecting the latter to undue strainin applying the last when the shoe is being relasted and in subsequently removing the last. When a hinged last is in place in the shoe, itis desirable to lock the sections firmly, so that there can be no extended displacement or swinging motion of either section independzo ently of the other. V

My invention has for its object to provide simple and effective means for locking the sections of a hinged last to hold them in their operative relation to each other; and'the in- 2 5 vention consists in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a side elevation, partly in section, of a last provided with my improvements. Fig. 2 represents a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the locking device or strut removed. Fig. 3 rep resents a view of the locking device or strut detached from the last. The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In the drawings, (t represents the fore-part section, and b the heel-section, of a hinged last, said sections being connected by a hinge c, which may be of any suitable construction. The sections are separated above the hinge by an opening d, which is formed to permit the upper portion of one section to swing toward or fromthe other, as'usual in lasts of 5 this class. Below the hinge the sections a. b

are provided, respectively, with faces a, b, which abut against each other when the sections are in their operative relation. The construction above described is not 11 ew with me and is in common use.

In carrying out my-invention I provide the sections a. b with means fordetachable connection with a locking device or strut formed to extend across the opening (Z and prevent relative movement of eitherofthe sections when the last-is in its operative adjustment. The strut, as here shown, comprises a bar or piece 6, which may be made of stout wire, and fingers c e, projecting from the ends of the strut, the strut and fingers being substan-oo tially U-shaped and all preferably formed from a single piece of wire. The fingers e c constitute the means on the strut for detachable engagement with the sections of the last. sections, as here shown, are two orifices or sockets ff, formed in the sections a b at opposite sides of the opening (1. Said orifices are preferably parallel with each other and are arranged to receive fingers c e, as shown in Fig. 1. The said fingers are preferably slightly inclined or out of parallelism with each other, as indicated in Fig. 3, where the full lines indicate the normal positions of the fingers and the dotted lines indicate the positions they would occupy if parallel with each other. This arrangement of the fingers,

in connection with the parallel arrangement of the sockets f, causes the fingers to bind on the walls of the sockets when they are inserted therein, thus preventing liability of accidental withdrawal of the fingers from the sockets. When it is desired to lock the sections a b, the fingers c e are forced into the sockets ff,- the frictional hold of the fingers upon the 8 5 walls of the sockets retaining them in position and enabling them to hold the strut c securely in place, the strut preventing any relative movement of the sections a. b. The strut may be readily removed by pulling it outwardly, 0 thus withdrawing the fingers from the sock; sis f f- It will be seen that astrut formedto extend across the opening at and provided at its ends with means for detachable connectionwith the sections of the last can be very cheaply manufactured, so that ashoe-manufacturer can keep a large supply on hand without any considerable expense. Hence the loss or misplacement of a strut will not occasion any r The corresponding means on the last- 65 i particular inconvenience or disadvantage, as its place can be supplied at a trifling cost.

I do not limit myself to the particular form of strut or locking device here shown or to the particular means here shown for detachably connecting the end portions of the strut with the sections of the last. I

It will be seen that the locking piece or strut constitutes a link or tension-bar connecting the two parts of the last and relieving the hinge of strains tending to break it;

I claim- 1. A last comprising a heel-section and a fore-part section connected by a hinge, the sections being separated by an opening above the hinge and provided with orifices or sockets in the opposite sides of the opening adapted to receive the ends of a locking piece or strut, said sockets being substantially parallel with each other.

2. A last comprising a heel-section'and a fore-part section connected by a hinge and inclined or out of parallelism with each other,

so that when inserted in the said sockets they will bind against the walls thereof.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

NATHANIEL W. ARNOLD.

Vitnesses:

O. F. BROWN, A. D. HARRISON. 

